# Defensive CYBER - Software Prototype Development — Program Element 0608041A

**Program element:** 0608041A  
**Component:** U.S. Army  
**Appropriation:** 2040 — RDT&E, Army  
**Budget Activity:** 8 — Budget Activity 8  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0608041A

## Summary

U.S. Army requests $94.1M in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House cut 3.2% (to $91.1M); the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. ACC-RI leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 74.5 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 89.2 |
| FY2027 | Request | 94.1 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 95.1 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 94.9 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 95.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 95.8 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 94.1 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 91.1 | −3.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 94.1 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 94.1 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD1 | Defensive Cyber - Software Prototype Devel | 74.5 | 89.2 | 94.1 | +5% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project CD1 — Defensive Cyber - Software Prototype Devel

- Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) programs are key elements of the DCO Maneuver Baseline infrastructure, platform, and tools. The employment of defensive capabilities achieves the following objectives: deter, destroy and defeat cyberspace threats; gain time; economy of force; control key terrain; protect tasked critical assets and infrastructure; and develop intelligence. DCO consists of software and platform programs which are key elements of the DCO Maneuver Baseline infrastructure, platform, and tools. DCO supports the Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER), Information Warfare Operations Center (IWOC), Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), Global Cyber Centers (GCC), Regional Cyber Centers (RCCs), Cyber Warfare Battalion (CWB), Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), Cyber Protection Brigade (CPB), and Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs) in the Active Army, Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve. Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 funding in the amount of $92.786 million supports Cyber Analytics (CA), DCO Tools Suite, User Activity Monitoring (UAM), Forensics and Malware Analysis (F&MA), DCO Development Environment (DCODE), Garrison DCO Platform (GDP), and Deployable DCO System (DDS) capabilities. Funding will be executed by Program Executive Office - Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (CPE IEW&S). - ARCYBER Rapid Cyber Prototyping (RCP) provides software-based capabilities that can quickly respond to emerging cyber threats and keep up with threat technology, while supporting multi-Domain operations. ARCYBER identifies potential development and prototyping efforts via Cyber Needs Forms (CNFs) based on operational feedback, changes in the operational information environment and/or trends of adversarial activity, which drive concept of operation (CONOP) and Tactics Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) modifications. These are separate and distinct from DCO programmed efforts already funded or budgeted for by Project Manager (PM) DCO and are used to rapidly address a network threat/vulnerability. FY 2027 funding in the amount of $1.309 million will be executed by ARCYBER.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** ACC-RI (1.3, 1.4%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defensive Cyber Operations - (See Classified QUAD for more information) | 73.2 | 88.4 | 92.8 |
| Rapid Cyber Prototyping (ARCYBER) - (See Classified QUAD for more information) | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 1.4% | 1.3 |
| Other / unspecified | 99% | 92.8 |

**Top named industry performers:** .

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

- Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) programs are key elements of the DCO Maneuver Baseline infrastructure, platform, and tools. The employment of defensive capabilities achieves the following objectives: deter, destroy and defeat cyberspace threats; gain time; economy of force; control key terrain; protect tasked critical assets and infrastructure; and develop intelligence. DCO consists of software and platform programs which are key elements of the DCO Maneuver Baseline infrastructure, platform, and tools.

Details provided under separate cover.

## Related program elements

- [1206425SF — Space Situation Awareness Systems](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206425SF) (Space Force)
- [0603890C — BMD Enabling Programs](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603890C) (Defense-Wide)
- [0708051F — Rapid Sustainment Modernization Technologies](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0708051F) (Air Force)
- [0303089F — Cyber Systems Modernization](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0303089F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0608041A (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0608041A")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*